“Against Moses”

March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024

Read Numbers 16, Psalm 86, Mark 10

Have you ever had a time where you did not want to do something, but because you were in charge or the leader you knew what had to be done? Maybe it was a task or perhaps even dealing with a relationship with someone that was not the most kind or easy to be around.

Moses was God’s chosen leader to lead Israel out of Egypt and into the land of the Canaanites. Israel had already messed it up with a bad report and it cost them 40 years in the desert before everyone over the age of 20, who was counted in the census would pass away and then they would enter. Now it seems that some of the leaders had not learned their lesson. Numbers 16 says that a group of leaders “became insolent 2 and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council” vv.1b-2. These were not just typical members of Israel, they were leaders. They had gotten to the point where they thought Moses was no more special than they were. “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD’s assembly?” v. 3b. I can see why Moses “face down” when he heard this. He was doing a job that He didn’t want to do, but now was dealing with leaders who wanted to take his place.

God dealt with these leaders in a most unusual way. “The ground under them split apart 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, with their households and all Korah’s men and all their possessions. 33 They went down alive into the grave, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community.” vv. 31-33. God wasn’t done yet either.  Other people began to complain after this too. “The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. “You have killed the LORD’s people,” they said” v. 41. God sent a plague through the community, and it killed 14,700 people. The thing that blows mw away is the reaction of Moses to the Lord when God starts His judgment. They pleaded for God to stop, and they wanted to save the very people that were mad and complaining toward them. This shows you what kind of leader Moses was. He cared for the people under his leadership, even when they were difficult and hard to love. What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
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Posted by John Weldon

“The Servant of All”

March 26, 2024

March 26, 2024

Read Numbers 15, Psalm 85, Mark 9

The religious leaders were not the only ones that didn’t completely understand Jesus’ mission. His disciples even though they spent time with him, they still had misunderstood his plans. The Jews, including the disciples, had been looking for a Mesiah that was coming to ride in on a white horse kick Rome out of the land and bring back the glory days for the nation of Israel. This being a couple of days past Palm Sunday reminds us that Jesus rode in on a donkey and his fist appearance was not like they thought it was. In Mark 9 we get a glimpse of their thoughts in this area. The disciples were arguing about something while they traveled. Jesus knew what it was and decided to make this a teaching moment. He asked them, ““What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest” vv. 33-34. Apparently, they had envisioned Jesus taking his throne after his great military conquest and the disciples were arguing for their seat at the table after it was all said and done. Like many statements of Jesus, he offered a counter-intuitive one for them to think over. “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all” v. 35. Jesus would continue to work on this mentality for them later, most of all when He washed the disciples’ feet in John 13. To drive home the point even more he grabbed a little child that was nearby (in a safe and good way!) to use as an example. “Taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me” vv. 36-37. We must keep in mind that children did not hold anywhere near the power that they do today. In the biblical world, children were to be seen and not heard, they were considered useless until they reach the point where they could work and contribute to their society. Now Jesus was saying they had to value the things that culture did not. They had to serve and welcome in the “little children” to be great. Jesus was a great leader, the greatest of all time, but He was a servant leader and not one who led with an authoritarian hammer or as a dictator. How can you and I be more servant-minded?

What else do you see in these chapters? What stood out to you most?
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Posted by John Weldon

“Follow the Leader”

March 23, 2024

March 23, 2024

Read Numbers 12, Psalm 82, Mark 6

What are your aspirations in leadership? Do you see yourself as more of a leader or as a follower? Often many people want to be the leader. Children in school want to be a leader and for adults the same is true in work and play. God had chosen Moses as the leader of Israel, to be the one to lead them out of Egypt. Moses reluctantly agreed to do it. This did not make everyone happen and we read about this in Numbers 12.

“Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. 2 “Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the LORD heard this” vv. 1-2. Did you notice that the complaint against Moses as leader started because his sister and brother didn’t like that Moses had married a non-Israelite. This was the seed of the complaint against his leadership to start with.

God heard about this and wanted to teach them a lesson. He called them all to the tent of meeting to let them know that Moses was not just any leader. Prophets were informed by visions and other means, but with Moses God said, “With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” v. 8. Being a leader is difficult and not being a leader can be equally difficult as well. Learning to follow and not complaining when we can easily do so is hard.

What else do you see in these three chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
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Posted by John Weldon

“Seeing Faith”

March 19, 2024

March 19, 2024

Read Numbers 8, Psalm 78, Mark 2

What are some things that you can’t see with the naked eye, but you know they are there? The wind, microscopic organisms, or maybe even your own brain? We may not be able to see these things, but we know that they are there because we see the effects from them. In Mark 2 we find a story of 4 men who brought a paralytic man to Jesus in a most unusual way.  The house was so packed out they could not get their friend to Jesus for a chance to experience healing, so they made their own way… through the roof. “Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on” v. 4. What great faith these four took for the paralytic man to experience healing. “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven’” v. 5. Faith is something meant to be seen, not just something we talk about. Real faith is accompanied by actions and not simply words alone. As James says, “faith without works is dead.”

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
Add your thoughts below.

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Posted by John Weldon

“Take a Vow”

March 17, 2024

March 17, 2024

Read Numbers 6, Psalm 76, Colossians 4

What is something that you have made a vow to do? A wedding vow? A vow to never do something that you did in your past? A vow to some conviction that you hold dearly in life? Numbers chapter 6 is the instructions for anyone, man or woman who wishes to become a Nazarite. Samson and Samuel were Nazarites according to the Scriptures and many people believe that John the Baptist was also a Nazarite, even though the Bible doesn’t specifically call him one. John the Baptist’s ascetic lifestyle seems to imply that he was one. Nazarites were to abstain from drinking alcohol, coming into contact with a dead body, and they were not to cut their hair in a specific way.

You might not consider the Nazarite vow for yourself today but is there something in your lifestyle that you set apart as a sign of obedience to the Lord or to show reference or respect for the Lord’s commands. Growing up in a culture that seems to have a “no boundaries” approach to life, Christians can easily be swayed into following all the practices of the world or what is deemed acceptable in culture. The idea of denying ourselves some pleasure or seeking to remain holy for the Lord’s use is a rare task for many today.

Paul gives some wise final instructions in Colossians 4. “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” v. 2-6.

Just like a Nazarite who devotes himself to the Lord, Christians are to devote themselves other spiritual practices like prayer and sharing the gospel. In verse 4 Paul asks for prayer in sharing the gospel, “that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should” v. 4. He also challenges the believers to “Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity” v. 5. This could mean a variety of specific things but would include how we treat and relate to others. Are we being good salt and light to others around us or… are we pushing anyone away with our attitude or harshness. We should make a vow to have conversations that are seasoned the perfect amount. If you have ever had French fries that were too salty or not salty enough you know what reaction it brings to you. The right balance is the way to go. What else do you see in these three chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
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Posted by John Weldon

“Change Your Clothes”

March 16, 2024

March 16, 2024”

Read Numbers 5, Psalm 75, Colossians 3

Think about a time when you got filthy or dirty. What were you doing? Working on a vehicle? Doing some yard work? Or maybe something that involved children! I remember a time when I was a kid that we had been playing outside in the woods all day and in the creek. We had gotten covered in dirt and mud. When we came back to the house we had to strip down to out skivvies on the back porch before entering the house. We went right to the shower and got cleaned up and put on a new set of clean clothes. My grandmother was a clean freak. Once when my brother and I went out to spend a week with them in Yazoo City, Mississippi we set a record of four showers in one day. If we went outside for five minutes we had to take a shower.

Colossians 3 encourages us as followers of Christ to change our clothes also. “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” vv. 9-10. Paul uses this metaphor to talk about the change a person goes through when they decide to follow Jesus. Since we have “taken off” our old practices and behavior, we “put on” the new that reflects our Savior and Lord. Paul lists out some of the things we should take off, “You must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips” v. 8. As a Christian it’s not just enough to take somethings off, unless we want to resemble the emperor’s new clothes, we must also put on godly traits that reflect Christ. “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” vv. 12-14. The last “garment” Paul says to put over everything is “love.” This is what people should see in and “on” us most of all.

What else do you see in these chapters? What questions do you have? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you? Add your thoughts below.

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Posted by John Weldon

“Think About Such Things”

March 13, 2024

March 13, 2024

Read Numbers 2, Psalm 72, Philippians 4

Have you heard the saying, “You are what you eat?” Perhaps an even better saying might be “You are what you think.” Let me first say that I’m not talking about some type of New Age manifestation thing where whatever you think you will bring it to pass in your life. That’s not possible and it’s a dangerous practice that I believe dips into the spiritual world of the occult or the prosperity gospel. I’m referring to our mental state and how we think about the things we do. Would you consider yourself more of a pessimist or optimist? Do you think in a more negative or positive manner? Most people tend to think about the negative. This is why negative political ads seem to work with us, because we can identify better with the negative side. A survey years ago said that the average adult has about 60,000 thoughts a day. And of the 60,000 thoughts 45,000 are negative ones. Three of every four thoughts we have on average are negative. We have to work harder to think in a positive light.

The apostle Paul was on to something when he wrote the last few paragraphs of his letter to the Christians at Philippi. He encourages the Christians to, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” v. 8. You might push back and say something like, “It’s easy to think positive when you are famous church letter with all the influence.” But nothing could be further from the truth. When Paul wrote this letter he was in jail. He was not the popular person we thought. The only reason people wanted to see Paul was to kill him or throw him in jail. Despite everything that Paul endured he was able to think about the good and not the bad because of his relationship with God through Jesus.

The famous verse 13 in Philippians 4, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” is the conclusion to Paul’s secret of how he was able to focus on the good and noble things. “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” vv. 11-12. Again, Paul’s secret was, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” v. 13.

What else do you see in these three chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
Add your thoughts below.

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Posted by John Weldon

“Press On”

March 12, 2024

March 12, 2024

Read Numbers 1, Psalm 71, Philippians 3

What are some things that you have had to press on through in your life? School or a tough job or time in your life? Maybe it was a relationship that was difficult, dealing with a terminal disease or losing a loved one. Chances are, we have all faced things in our lives that have called us to press on though them. Perhaps the greatest area we face pressing on is in our faith and relationship with Christ. Being a Christian is all about putting off the earthly temporary things for the eternal rewards that we are called to “seek first.”

In Philippians 3 we find this encouraging message from Paul to press on.  “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” v. 12. AS Christians we can never be satisfied of where we are in our walk with the Lord. We must continue to reform and sanctify ourselves unto the likeness of Jesus and his life.

Paul says that running the race and striving ahead involves a few things. First, we are to forget what is behind. “Forgetting what is behind” v. 13 could mean letting go of bad things in our past that are weighing us down or troubling our minds.  It might also mean that we forget the past successes and good things we have accomplished to strive for new heights and goals in our future.

Roger Bannister was the first man in the world to run a mile in under four minutes in May 1954. The next month, Australian John Landy broke that record by 1.4 seconds. In August 1954 the two fastest mile runners in the world met for an historic race at the British Empire Games in Vancouver, Canada, the race being dubbed “The Miracle Mile“, the “Race of the Century” and the “Dream Race”.

As Bannister and Landy turned for the last lap, Landy was ahead and looked certain to win, but as he neared the finishing line he lost focus and allowed his mind to wonder about Bannister’s position. Unable to stand the strain, he finally looked back over his shoulder, and as he did so his stride faltered and Bannister passed him to break the tape.

Landy later said, “I would have won the race if I hadn’t LOOKED BACK: if I hadn’t taken my EYES OFF THE GOAL”

Second, Paul says, “straining towards what is ahead” we press on. If anything is worth doing great, we must learn to strain and push ahead and make the sacrifice now for the payoff that comes later. Third and finally Paul says, “Only let us live up to what we have already attained” v. 16.  This means no shrinking back or no regression in our walk with God is good. We will fall and mess up, but our aim is to get back on the horse and keep going.

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
Add your thoughts below.

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Posted by John Weldon

“All of You”

March 10, 2024

March 10, 2024

Read Leviticus 26, Psalm 69, Philippians 1

Sometimes we enjoy activities or hobbies individually. Reading, crossword puzzles, or mindlessly playing on our phones. Sometimes we enjoy them with other people. Board games, sports, or family trips to name a few. We all have time in our lives for each type, individually or together. What activities or hobbies do you like to alone and which do you like to join in with others to do?  The church is one part of our faith that we cannot do alone. The church is not a building, it is the people who make up the church.

In Philippians 1 Paul starts his letter off to the church in Philippi with a greeting and thanking them for their “partnership in the gospel from the first day until now” v. 5. The church had come to Paul’s aid and supplied and supported him in his mission efforts. Even though Paul was in prison, his heart was full of joy for the believers in Philippi whom he was writing to. Four times in six verses Paul used the phrase “all of you” to express his joy and thanksgiving for all the Christians who had partnered with him.

In his letter to the believers in Philippi Paul says “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” v. 6. There are a couple of things to note from this verse. First, it is God who started the work in us, not ourselves, not other Christians. Second, we are not done yet. We are still working on our sanctification and maturity in Christ. The truth is that until we breathe our last here on earth, we will always have room to grow in our walk with God. If we find ourselves being stagnant and not growing in our faith it might be because we have adopted an attitude that we have arrived and know everything we need to know. Nothing could be further from the truth. The other danger is that we could become frustrated with our spiritual growth. We might grow impatient with our struggles and the slow speed that we are walking with the Lord. Do not fall into this trap either. Remember our walk with the Lord is like a marathon and not a 50-yard dash. We must pace ourselves to make the whole race.

What else do you see in these three chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stick out to you?
Add your thoughts below.

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Posted by John Weldon

“Armor”

March 9, 2024

March 9, 2024

Read Leviticus 25, Psalm 68, Ephesians 6

How do most people protect themselves today? Some purchase a gun or other self-defense items. Some people enroll in a class and learn how to do it personally. Some may purchase a security system for their home. Physical protection is one area, but spiritual protection in spiritual warfare is much more serious. One of the best ways we can protect ourselves is found right here in Ephesians 6. Paul was in prison when he wrote the letter to the Ephesians. Scholars believe that used the image of a Roman centurion guard to craft the last part of Ephesians 6 which is affectionately referred to as the Armor of God.

Paul says to put in the “full armor” and not just a couple of pieces. “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” v. 11. We want to be fully prepared to face the things that the devil will throw at us each day. Is there a piece of armor that you often neglect to put on? Which one is the piece you need to remember most of all. “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand” v. 13. Notice it says “when” the day of evil comes and not “if” the day of evil comes. We will face it at some point.

Paul describes the six pieces of armor. “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” vv. 14-17. It has been pointed out that the sword is the offensive weapon, which is the Word of God. It is a vital part of the armor, and we should be well versed in God’s Word if we want to engage in battle. The sword can also be a defensive weapon too. A good soldier could parry with his sword and fend off blows from the enemy. Jesus did this in the wilderness when He was tempted by Satan. Jesus quoted the Scripture to fend off the attacks from the Devil.

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
Add your thoughts below.

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Posted by John Weldon

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